17th World Conference on Nondestructive Testing, 25-28 Oct 2008, Shanghai, China

Help Software Design of NDT Instrument Based on FLASH Cartoon

Jun-ming LIN 1, Han-lin LI 2, Zhen-xiong CAI 2, Jin-biao LIN 2
(1 Eddysun (Xiamen) Electronic CO.,LTD., Xiamen
Fujian 361004
2 Jimei University Marine Engineering Institute
Xiamen
Fujian 361021)

Abstract
Operation and using of NDT instruments is an important factor to affect testing result. In allusion to
intelligent operation characteristic of NDT instruments produced by Eddysun CO., multimedia exploitation
software Flash and Captivate is used to design operation cartoon emulation software of the instrument.
Volume of the visual and intuitionist help software is small and its useful for inspector to study ways to
operate the instrument.
Keywords: Flash cartoon; NDT; instrument; help software

1 Introduction
To meet the production testing at the scene to control the quality of products needed,
NDT instrument is the product of combining multiple technologies, including the NDT,
electronics technology, software technology and network technology. Detections of Eddysun
CO.s NDT products involve vortex, magnetic flux leakage (MFL), metal magnetic memory,
ultrasonic, and other NDT methods. Its friendly software interface, hotkey tips to help, can be
realized intelligently foolproof operation. However, the manual of the instrument using the
traditional paper brochure that cannot vividly described the operation of equipments; It is
very difficult to fully grasp the operation of equipment alone operating manuals. With the
development of network and multimedia technology in the world of electronic products,
computer cartoon in the promotion of a product cannot be ignored, because of their unique
form of expression. Flash cartoon is shown a unique advantage, painting is simple and easy to
operate, compact and easy to learn and use, and so on. We can use Flash 8 and Captivate to
make simulation cartoon of operation process. It can make up for the paper version brochures
boring abstract shortcomings, a multiplier effect.
2 The characteristics and classification of NDT instruments
On the premise that the performances of targets were not damaged, NDT gives an
evaluation of their continuity, integrity, security and reliability of certain physical properties,
by a variety of physical and chemical phenomena with effective inspection and testing of
various engineering materials, components and structure. NDT instrument is the product of
combining multiple technologies, including the nondestructive testing technology, electronics
technology, software technology and network technology. It can meet the needed that the
production testing at the scene and products quality control.

Eddysun (Xiamen) Electronics

Co.,
Ltd. specializes
the research and production of
Fig.1 desktop
appearance
of EEC-39ininstrument
NDT instrument, and provides application services, they have had the video, Eddy, spectral
analysis, multi-frequency eddy current, remote field eddy current, magnetic memory,
ultrasound and NDT Intelligent Network as the representative series of proprietary
technology, and developed NDT instrument with advanced world standards. The main
characteristic of instruments: multi-functional, easy to operate, agile response and, data
analysis, storage and communication, etc.

Fig. 2 the appearance of portable equipment

According equipment styles and methods of operation, these NDT instruments can
generally be divided into three categories: desktop, portable and handheld. Desktop is made
up of industrial control computer and DOS or Windows operating system, hardware and
software of NDT embedded in them, the input devices are a keyboard and mouse, and display
is larger CRT or LCD monitors.Fig.1 shows the desktop appearance of EEC-39 eddy current
testing. Portable equipment is mainly made up of the micro-computer and the DOS operating
system. Its main input device is a keyboard on the instrument panel, and display integrated in
the instrument is a small EL screen or LCD monitors. Fig.2 shows the appearance of portable
equipment SMART-2005 Detector. Palmtop equipment is mainly made up of Single Chip
Micyoco (SCM) or other micro-controller; its input device is a keyboard on the instrument
panel, the display which integrated in the instrument is a Smaller LCD monitors.
3 Development and characteristics of Network Multimedia Technology and Flash
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cartoon
3.1 Shortage of NDT instruments operation Help
Although Eddysun CO.'s NDT instrument software interface and method of operation
had a "fool"-human nature of the design, the detection personnel who learn their operation
and use still need some clarification and guidance on account of equipment variety, powerful
and complex. Because of Manual is a traditional paper version, it cannot give a vivid
description of the instrument operation, but only on equipment interface.
3.2 Characteristics of Network Multimedia Technology and Development of tools
Be different from other methods, the network multimedia technology is an emerging
technology in recent years, which is an integration of computer technology, audio-visual
technology and network communication technology. It has become a new kind of media to
promote products, due to advanced digital recording and transmission and the characteristics
of human-computer interaction, and has been widely used in advertising and so on.
3.3 Flash software and Captivate software and the characteristics of Cartoon.
Flash software and Captivate software are two interactive multimedia cartoon design
tools which are launched by the Macromedia Company in USA, and are very active on the
global network of professional cartoon software. Flash software, which is the creation of the
two-dimensional cartoon design software, can import other forms of material; can also draw
directly by the software. Captivate is a kind of software which captures screen display or
keyboard and mouse input or moves and transfers into the Flash cartoon. The Flash cartoon
which are designed by these two kinds of software has the following several advantages.
3.3.1 Flash cartoon using a vector graphics and streaming broadcast technology. Vector
graphics have nothing to do with the resolution, zoom can be arbitrarily size without affecting
the quality of graphics, at the same time the vector graphics ensure the clarity of the screen;
streaming technology allows players edge cartoon while downloading something, and at any
time the players may watch the details on the Flash screen.
3.3.2 Flash cartoon can be released to load protection settings; to prevent others freely
modified works.
3.3.3 Flash cartoon is made of using the key frame and the issue of the graphics
technology and it make the cartoon document very small, easy to carry and transmit.
3.3.4 Flash cartoon can make music, cartoon and sound together, and create wonderful
cartoon. Not only Flash cartoon sets up uniquely the voice, but also editing cartoon can
design the interact one.
3.3.5 Flash cartoon can generate cartoon files (the format ".swf") or an executable file
(the format ". Exe"), the latter format of the players can run directly without relying on any
player.
It can be seen from the characteristics of the Flash cartoon, the design, which is based on
the nondestructive testing aidant software, can describe abstract character as the concrete
image of the cartoon, simulate the equipment at the scene detection, and it is convenient for
the technical staff to understand and master the design.
4 Development of NDT Instrument Flash cartoons Help Software
4.1 The technical requirements of Flash cartoon design
To design NDT Instrument Help Software with Flash software and Captivate software, it
should emphasize that the design is reasonable, in addition to follow the principles of product
applications. Firstly, the software should be maintainability, revisability and extensibility;
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therefore modular design can be used. Secondly, the interface should be simple and friendly
Windows interface, it must be interactive, focused, and little of text description. Users can
easily control software, operation, pause and exit; it should be used according to tips by the
user has little knowledge of computer. Thirdly, the software should be adapted to the different
operating platform, and run without special players on the common operating system. Finally,
the requirements of hardware should be as low as can. Hardware requirements should be
targeted to the lower configuration system.
4.2 Overall design of NDT Instrument Flash cartoon Help Software
Overall design is the process of a general design idea come into being. It determines all
aspects of the follow-up. The principles of design to be followed should be fully reflected at
this stage. Operation manual in paper version as the basis of design, Software is divided into
three types according to the different types of equipment. Software desktop runs on Windows
operating system platform, the input devices are a keyboard and mouse, then the captivate
software can be used to capture the graphic display on the screen keyboard and mouse
movements in testing. As for portable and handheld devices, because of its operation key on
screen and the panel are not standardized like the desktop, we can only use Flash mapping
and detection equipment host interface, probe and test pieces, and then design the operation
cartoon with cartoon editing features. After the completion of cartoon, commentaries were
recorded by recording procedures, and embedded help software as the basic dubbing in MP3
format.
4.3Multimedia material preparation and Flash cartoon production
Multimedia material refers to all kinds of hearing and visual materials used in the Flash
cartoon, including images, sound, cartoon and video. Material can be collected through
various channels, such as drawing by paint tools of Flash software or by Captivate software;
images can be collected using scanners, digital cameras; voice recording with the microphone,
or in a multimedia material CD.

Fig. 3 EEC-39 Detector interface

Scene layout and design of special effects action can be completed by Flash cartoon
software convenient features and Captivate software powerful graphics capture, at the same
time, dubbing were recorded in chronological order to ensure that the voice and picture
perfect combination. And then the documents called the suffix ".Fla" and ".Cp" ware
generated.
When producing the desktop Flash cartoon help software, we must install the software of
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NDT Instrument in computer to simulate detection equipment at the scene, and then enter the
screen capture interface of Captivate software. In this interface, you can use the mouse or
keyboard operation desktop detection software, at the same time Captivate software in the
background on the monitor automatically capture and record all images of display and all the
action of input devices, then save them as slides with the suffix name ".Cp".

Fig.4 Flash graphics of

instrument front panel

Fig.5 SMART-2005 detector Flash

In the production of portable and handheld detection equipment Flash cartoon Help
software, we should set the screen background at first with blue bitmap picture and adjust it
to 1024 768 pixels. The font of the words is Song, the color is dark yellow. In accordance
with the function and role, the graphics and buttons in cartoon are divided into more than 10
layers, and some of some features of layers are set to be mask layer or guidance layer to
achieve changes in different graphics. The cartoon introduced that the appearance and panel
of Host, how to launch equipment and choose procedures, detection System Help and so on.
In aspect of special effects achieved, the approach includes frame-by-frame, Shape meeting
between cartoons, Inter-action cartoon. Figure 4 is the Flash graphics of instrument front
panel.
4.4 Synthesizing, debugging and Web releasing
Upon completion of the software produced, debugging and testing should be done in
accordance with the requirements of software engineering. The complete files are very big;
some has reached more than 12,000 frames, and file size has reached around 20M. But the
documents with file format of ".fla" and ".Cp" cannot directly use; they should be released in
".swf" or ".exe". After released the file size reduces much, only a few hundred Kb; then it is
very suitable for dissemination by the network and portable memory. And, that acts in
responses, CPU and the memory occupancy are very small during the period of the .swf or
.exedocument works, they can work on a low computer configuration completely. Figure 5
is .swf SMART-2005 detector Flash cartoon demo graphics.
5 Conclusions
The NDT instruments which are produced by Eddysun CO, is an integrated, intelligent
highly detection equipments. The interface of the software is user-fridendly, and they have
intelligent human-computer dialogue and operation. Flash software based on the design
function of the vector cartoon and the powerful screen capture of Captivate, you can create a
beautiful image of the simulation interface, which has the effect to approach the real scene
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detection. The help software design of NDT instrument based on Flash cartoon adapts to the
demand of the development of the current multi-media and network technology. After the
watching and using by the technical personnel, it is downloaded by technical personnel on
internet, and makes them realize the vivid image of the equipment at the scene operation. It is
proved that the software can quickly learn to operate equipment, rapidly put into use, and
reduce training costs and time
References
[1] Eddysun (Xiamen) Electronic CO.,LTD. EEC-39 intelligence eddy flaw detector operation guide
[2] Eddysun (Xiamen) Electronic CO.,LTD. The SMART-2005 intelligence eddy surpasses sound flaw
detector operation guide
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[4] China Construction Machinery Institute of NDT Branch. Ultrasonic detecting [M] Beijing:
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[5] Hu Lihe Internet and multimedia educational applications [M]. Wuhan: Huazhongshifan University
publishing company. 1999.4.
[6] Kong Lingyu Multimedia Technology and Application [M]. Beijing: Machinery Industry Publishing
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[7] Ding Gejian Multi-media material acquisition and production [M] Beijing: Higher education
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[8] Wang Xin,Xiao Hua, Wu Xianqiu. Long-range simulated experiment base on Flash[J] Laboratory
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Biographies
[10] Li Hanlin(1983.1- ), M, postgraduates, engage in the research of the automation and control

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